ANNUAL REPORT DECEMBER 2020 Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel Jerusalem, Israel Table of Contents 1 | Introduction: The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel in 2020 4 2 | Publications 5 3 | State of the Nation Report 2020 6 4 | A Picture of the Nation 2020 7 5 | Other Publications in 2020 8 6 | The Taub Center’s Response to Coronavirus in Israel 9 7 | Spotlight on Education: From Crisis to Opportunity 11 8 | Spotlight on the Pandemic’s Impact on Women 13 9 | Impact on Government 15 10 | Impact on Civil Society and the Private Sector 18 11 | International Presence 20 12 | Spotlight on Early Childhood 21 13 | Taub Center in the Media 23 14 | Online Outreach 25 15 | The Taub Center’s Annual Herbert M. Singer International Policy Conference 28 16 | Spotlight on Israel’s Unique Demography 30 17 | Partnerships Update 31 Taub Center Board of Directors 32 Taub Center General Assembly 32 1 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 Prof. Avi Weiss, Prof. Yossi Shavit, Dr. Yariv Feniger, Nachum Blass, and Prof. Hanna Ayalon, panelists at the launch of Educational Inequality in Israel: From Research to Policy, January 2020 The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel is an independent, non-partisan, socioeconomic research institute based in Jerusalem. The Center conducts high-quality, impartial research on socioeconomic conditions in Israel, and develops innovative, equitable and practical options for macro public policies that advance the well-being of Israelis. The Center strives to influence public policy through direct communications with policy makers and by enriching the public debate that accompanies the decision making process. 2 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 In Memoriam: Professor Dov Chernichovsky z”l The Taub Center mourns the passing of Professor Dov Chernichovsky z”l, Chair of the Health Policy Program at the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel. Dov was a member of the Taub Center team from the day the Center was founded in 1982. For years he worked vigorously to address health and social issues in Israel within government, the media, and many other arenas. Dov was Professor Emeritus of health economics and policy in the Department of Health Administration at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and was the chair of the Israeli Nutritional Security Council. Just a few months ago, he was appointed by Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein to serve as a member of the Prof. Dov Chernichovsky z”l National Health Council of the Ministry of Health. Dov served on many public committees, including the State Commission of Inquiry that led to the enactment of the National Health Insurance Law. He published articles at the Taub Center and in leading scientific journals, and served on the board of several such journals. Among other topics, Dov was a leading voice on the issues of long-term care and the financing of Israel’s healthcare system, and has worked tirelessly for equality in access to the health system and food security. During his time at the Center, Dov researched some of the most critical issues facing Israel’s health care system, promoted a spirit of intellectual curiosity and inquisitiveness, and served as a mentor, teacher and esteemed colleague to so many. His contributions over the years shaped the development of the Taub Center, and his warmth, intellect and kindness will be sorely missed. May his memory be a blessing. 3 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 IN THE PUBLIC EYE op-eds 2020 AT A published 409 57 GLANCE UNIQUE MEDIA radio, podcast, MENTIONS and television 19 interviews REACHING TARGET AUDIENCES 84 128 273 61 meetings with Israeli & foreign meetings with EVENTS & MEETINGS WITH civil society, private government sector & other non- MEETINGS FOUNDATIONS & officials government entities PHILANTHROPISTS RESEARCH ONLINE 14,650 followers of the 5,984 907 HEBREW and ENGLISH LIKES, COMMENTS listens to the Facebook pages AND SHARES ON Center’s podcast, 197,404 FACEBOOK DataPoint VISITS TO THE TAUB CENTER WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS 8 A Picture 14 of the Nation STAND-ALONE new chapters in the 2020 PAPERS AND State of the Nation POLICY BRIEFS Report 2020 4 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 1 | Introduction: The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel in 2020 Since its inception in 1982, the Taub Center has played a critical role as one of Israel’s leading social policy think tanks. Our mission has taken on even greater significance with the outbreak of COVID-19. During these challenging times, the Center’s unparalleled reputation for non-partisanship and excellence has uniquely positioned our experts to provide evidence-based analyses to audiences including policy makers, the public, and philanthropists around the world. Since March, the Center has quickly pivoted its efforts in order to ensure that critical real-time information is made available to Israel’s leaders and citizens. Of the 14 stand-alone research papers published in 2020, seven directly examine the impacts of the pandemic on Israel’s health system, economy, schools, teachers, families, and employees. A new blog, “Viral Economics,” was created to serve as a platform for distributing current, reliable data and the Center’s expert analyses on the pandemic. The blog has become a go-to resource for stakeholders both in Israel and abroad. THE TAUB CENTER INFLUENCES THE FUTURE BY STUDYING THE PRESENT, ASKING QUESTIONS, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS, AND PRESENTING THE DATA AND CONCLUSIONS TO HIGH-LEVEL, INFLUENTIAL ISRAELI AUTHORITIES. — Dr. Orna Blondheim, Former CEO of Emek Medical Center As meetings and events have moved online, our outreach to communities outside of Israel has expanded, and we are able to provide evidence-based analyses to inform relief efforts. In an unprecedented year of change and uncertainty, the Taub Center has proudly served as a reliable source of information. We are deeply grateful to our steadfast supporters, who have made our work possible. 5 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 2 | The Taub Center Publications Taub Center President Prof. Avi Weiss, Director General Suzie Patt Taub Center supporter and Former Board Chair Greg Rosshandler Benvenisti, and Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships Michal attends a special briefing on education in the Arab sector. Pictured: Prof. Pozmanter Avi Weiss, Suzie Patt Benvenisti, Michal Pozmanter, Greg Rosshandler, and Prof. Alex Weinreb The Taub Center’s annual body of work includes timely, high-quality research publications addressing Israel’s most pressing issues in our five policy program areas of macroeconomics, labor markets, education, health, and welfare, as well as expanded areas of analysis such as early childhood inequality and demography. This year, our work was quickly adapted to the new and changing needs to provide up-to-date information on the pandemic’s impact, while also maintaining a focus on previously planned areas of research. Throughout the year, staff worked remotely and kept up a steady publications schedule, including stand-alone policy papers, briefs, and our two flagship publications,A Picture of the Nation 2020, generously supported by the Koret Foundation, and the Singer Series State of the Nation Report 2020. 3 | STATE OF THE NATION REPORT 2020 The Herbert M. Singer Series State of the Nation Report: Society, Economy, and Policy in Israel 2020, presents an overview of the most important issues facing Israeli citizens alongside cutting-edge research in each of the Center’s five policy areas. The 2020 report examines these issues holistically, analyzing Israel’s macroeconomics as well as honing in on the coronavirus’s impact on specific areas. The incorporated studies focus on topics such as alternative models for the education system in light of the coronavirus; characteristics of Israel’s doctors; "over-education” (mismatching between education level and job) in Israel’s labor force; and the ability of different Israelis to work from home. TheState of the Nation Report 2020 stands at the crux of the Center’s dissemination efforts moving into the year ahead, and will undoubtedly play a major role in shaping policy conversations as Israel plans its pandemic recovery efforts. 6 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 The State of the Nation Report 2020 includes chapters featuring research published throughout the year, as well as the following new research papers and overview chapters: ä The Battle Against the Coronavirus From the Perspective of the Healthcare System: An Overview, by Dov Chernichovsky z”l, Prof. Benny Bental, Rachel Arazi, and Elon Seela ä Physicians in Israel: Trends in Characteristics and Training, by Aviad Tur-Sinai, Noam Zontag, Orna Blondheim, Alex Weinreb, and Dov Chernichovsky z”l ä The Impact of the Coronavirus on the Economy of Israel: An Overview, by Prof. Benny Bental and Labib Shami ä The Israeli Labor Market Under the Coronavirus Crisis: An Overview, by Noam Zontag, Gil Epstein, and Avi Weiss ä Overeducation Among Academic Degree Holders in Israel, by Haim Bleikh ä The Social Welfare System and the Coronavirus Crisis: An Overview, by John Gal and Shavit Madhala ä Opportunities and Risks to the Education System in the Time of the Coronavirus: An Overview, by Nachum Blass ä The Education System in Israel in the Time of the Coronavirus: Three Alternative Frameworks, by Nachum Blass Global Impact Reaching worldwide audiences with Taub Center research: ä Australia ä USA: ä England § Albuquerque, NM ä Finland § Baltimore, MD ä Germany § Chicago, IL ä Israel § Detroit, MI ä The Netherlands § Los Angeles, CA ä Russia § Miami, FL ä Uzbekistan § New York, NY § St. Louis, MO § Whippany, NJ 7 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020 4 | A PICTURE OF THE NATION 2020 One of the Center’s most popular publications, A Picture of the Nation, is widely regarded as an invaluable overview of current trends in Israeli society and used by stakeholders in government, civil society, philanthropy, and academia as a go-to resource.